From Mandarin to St.
Augustine

The
book, Palmetto Leaves, was published in 1872. The author, Harriet
Beecher Stowe, was living in Mandarin, Florida (near Jacksonville). In
this excerpt, she describes her trip by boat and horse-drawn railroad
from Mandarin to St. Augustine, Florida in the late 1800s.

Mandarin,
May 30, 1872

The thermometer with us,
during the third week in May, rose to ninety-two in the shade; and as we had
received an invitation from a friend to visit St. Augustine, which is the Newport
of Florida, we thought it a good time to go seaward. So on a pleasant morning
we embarked on the handsome boat Florence, which has taken so many
up the river, and thus secured all the breeze that was to be had.

The Florence is used expressly for a river pleasure-boat, playing
every day between Jacksonville and Pilatka. It is long and airy, and nicely
furnished; and one could not imagine a more delightful conveyance. In hot weather,
one could not be more sure of cool breezes than with sailing up and down perpetually
in The Florence. Our destiny, however, landed us in the very meridian
of the day in Tekoi. Tekoi consists of a shed and a sand-bank, and a little
shanty, where, to those who require, refreshments are served.

On landing, we found that we must pay for the pleasure and coolness of coming
up river in "The Florence" by waiting two or three mortal hours till
"The Starlight" arrived; for the railroad-car would not start till
the full complement of passengers was secured. We had a good opportunity then
of testing what the heat of a Florida sun might be, untempered by live-oaks
and orange shades, and unalleviated by ice-water; and the lesson was an impressive
one.

The railroad across to St. Augustine is made of wooden rails; and the cars are
drawn by horses. There was one handsome car like those used on the New-York
horse-railroads: the others were the roughest things imaginable. In the height
of the season, when the cars were crowded, four hours were said to be consumed
in performing this fifteen miles. We, however, did it in about two.

To us this bit of ride through the Florida woods is such a never-ceasing source
of interest and pleasure, that we do not mind the slowness of it, and should
regret being whisked by at steam-speed. We have come over it three times; and
each time the varieties of shrubs and flowers, grasses and curious leaves, were
a never-failing study and delight. Long reaches of green moist land form perfect
flower-gardens, whose variety of bloom changes with every month. The woods hang
full of beautiful climbing plants. The coral honeysuckle and the red bignonia
were in season now.

Through glimpses and openings here and there we could see into forests of wild
orange-trees; and palmetto-palms raised their scaly trunks and gigantic green
fans. The passengers could not help admiring the flowers: and as there were
many stops and pauses, and as the gait of the horses was never rapid, it was
quite easy for the gentlemen to gather and bring in specimens of all the beauties;
and the flowers formed the main staple of the conversation. They were so very
bright and gay and varied, that even the most unobserving could not but notice
them.